Rambling through central Illinois, counting the days until the final season of “Peaky Blinders” airs on Netflix on June 10.
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The restaurant roulette wheel is spinning in Elmwood, where the Uptown Cafe is soon moving to the former Cerno’s location at 118 E. Main St. Occupying the space vacated by Uptown Cafe at 110 N. Magnolia St. will be a Mexican restaurant operated by Dana Cardenas of Havana. Cardenas is seeking a liquor license from the City of Elmwood and plans to call her restaurant Mi Ranchito. Opening is likely slated for July. Margaritas on Magnolia anyone? … Tom Shissler floored me with a farming stat recently. At one point this spring, the Ukraine had planted 30 percent of its crops while the U.S. stood at 20 percent. That disparity has changed, as farmers have been going hard of late. Through May 15, Illinois had 84 percent of its corn planted and 56 percent of soybeans. And in the 18 states that plant 92 percent of 2021 acreage, 78 percent of corn was in.
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The ever-growing list of shortages gets even more confusing. As my wife keeps telling me, there is a shortage of baby formula, which is a serious issue if you have a baby or once had a baby (not quite so serious if you are trying to concentrate on what has so far been an excellent NHL playoffs). How can that happen? Part of the problem, it seems, is there are only three formula producers in the U.S. Complicating this monopolistic situation is that one producer – Abbott Nutrition, which controls 43 percent of the market – was forced by the FDA to shut down its formula-producing factory due to bacterial problems, according to Fortune magazine. Now, as we once learned in U.S. history, monopolies are bad. Oddly, that lesson is lost on our government. As comedian Steven Wright has aptly noted, “I think it’s wrong that only one company makes the game Monopoly.”
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Baby formula is just one of many shortages. As two school board stories in this paper prove, there is also a dire shortage of bus drivers. Again I ask, “How can that happen?” Why are bus companies and so many other employers posting “Help Wanted” signs but getting no response? Say what you will, but the government handing out money is part of the problem. Another likely cause, pointed out by a local bartender, is lack of pride. When did it become OK not to have a job?
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The squirrel world is full of intrigue this spring. In addition to baby black squirrels skittering around Elmwood, Shelly Brodine and Charlotte Church tell tales from Yates City of a bulkier black squirrel with a red tail that appears to be the byproduct of a black squirrel/fox squirrel cross. This is not unusual, according to a Smithsonian report by Melian Solly who writes that inter-breeding between fox squirrels and grey squirrels brought us black squirrels in the first place. As if that’s not enough to keep track of, there’s also a fox squirrel with a white tail running around in our neighborhood. Something similar happened a few years ago, but white tails eventually turned a reddish brown like normal. … Parting shot: On an unrelated note, Bob Cook of Yates City says there is something unique about his asparagus this year: eating it does not change the fragrance of his urine. We are in the process of testing that claim and will report back. Cook also said he has been pickling asparagus, which sounds delicious. Margaritas and pickled asparagus, anyone?
Contact Jeff Lampe at (309) 231-6040 or jeff@wklypost.com
